Rotary can washer



April 7, 1 .1. P. MCKINLEY ET AL ROTARY CAN WASHER Filed July 15, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 "i u n E BET P 1931- .J. P. MCKINLEY ETAL' 1,799,618

ROTARY CAN WASHER Filed July 13, 1928 3Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Apr. 7, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN P. MOKINLEY AND CARL ULRICH, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK; SAID ULRICH ASSIGNOR TO E. ROY ALLING, OF KENMORE, NEW YORK ROTARY CAN WASHER Application filed July 13, 1928. Serial No. 292,347.

This invention relates to article washing machines, and particularly to the type which may be advantageously employed for the washing of such articles as milk cans and covers, or other containers.

An object of the invention is to generally improve, simplify and render more eflicient and economical article washing machines of this type.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved article washing machine with which articles may be washed in a manner to provide thorough'cleansing and subsequent complete sterilization thereof with a minimum of treatments, which will be compact, simple, efiective and economical in operation, which will require a minimum of supervision and operating attention, and which will be relatively inexpensive. I

Various other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of one embodiment of the invention, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out hereinafter in connection with the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a milk can washing machine constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan of the same, with ortions broken away to illustrate details 0t erwise concealed thereby.

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan of the same, with the section taken approximately along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal, sectional view of one of the mixing nozzles forming a part of the washer.

ln the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the washing occurs within the easing 1, which may, for convenience, be cyllndrical in shape, and is provided at one side with an opening 2 through which the cans and covers or other articles may be loaded and unloaded during the continued operation of the machine.

The casing may have a platform 3 at the base of the opening 2 to facilitate the loading and unloading of the cans and covers.

Within the casing 1, a can and cover support 4 may be supported for rotation by means of a vertical shaft 5. This shaft extends upwardly through the top of the casing and carries at its outer end a Geneva transfer gear 6 through which rotation of the support 4 may be effected. The support 4 may' include a small cylindrical shell 4a disposed axially about the shaft 5 and a plurahty of walls or vanes 7 projecting radially and outwardly from'the shell 4a to provide between on them radially extending compartments in which the .cans are disposed in an inverted position.

The support 4 also includes at its lower end an apertured or grid-like frame or base 8 05 upon which the cans rest while inverted, and brackets 9 may be provided at the inner ends of the pockets formed by the vanes or walls 7 to prevent the cans from tipping over and to aid the attendant in quickly and accurately 7 positioning the cans for alignment with or over the ets used in the cleansing operations. The lower outer corners of the vanes or walls 7 may be notched as at 10, and the base 8 may be provided with bent wire hooks or supports 11 for supporting the covers midway between each two compartments and in the notches 10 of the radial walls. The mounted position of one such cover is shown by the dash lines 12 in Fig. 1.

Any suitable source of power may be employed for operating the shaft 5, and by way of illustration such a source of power may be applied through a pulley 13 mounted on a shaft 14. This shaft extends into a housing 85 15 and has a worm wheel drive connection within said housing to a shaft 16 which extends towards the shaft 5 but in a direction crosswise thereof. The shaft 16 may be connected by mitre gearing 17 to a rotary drivno ing element 18 carrying a Geneva transfer pin 19, and also having a cylindrical locking surface 20 extending peripherally of the element from said in.

. The locking pm 19 is adapted to engage in as the slots 21 in the Geneva transfer wheel 6, and between the notches 21, the cylindrical locking portions 20 engage in concave notches or locking faces 22. The gear 6 and therefore the parts carried thereby will be moved in intermittently through increments of move- -ments by rotation of the pulley 13 and during the cans, after their rst increment of movement from the loading opening 2, will be positioned over a preliminary rinse jet.26 by which the cans may be given, while inverted, a prelimin jet of liquid to rinse out such contents of t e can as may be easily carried out by such a treatment.

While the cans are in either of the next two successive positions, they willbe disosed over jet creating devices 27 and 28 y means of which-the cans will be subjected to hydraulic jets of a cleansing solution, such as a caustic solution. These successive'treatments with the cleansing solution efiectively remove all foreign matter from within the cans, as usual in the art. The drainage of the cleansing solution from the cans'will collect in the tank 24 for re-use as usual-in the When the cans are in the next successive position they will be disposed above the tank containing a hot water or other rinsing liquid. A jet'device29 is connected by pipe 30 to suitable mechanism (not shown, but

- usual in the art) for' subjecting the cans to .tank25.

a hot rinse li uid, such'aswater,-th e liquid or water draming from the cans into the The covers are similarly treated while above the tanks 24 and 25. The water or rinsing liquid in the tank 25 is heated before it is directed against the cans and covers and serves as a suitable source of heat for the sterile rinse to which the cans are. to besubser quently subjected or treated, as will be presently explained.

- The tank 25. also extends beneath the cans while the cans are in the next two positions.

. A pair of coils 31 and 32 are disposed within the tank 25 preferably, but not necessarily, concentrically of one another so as to be partly or entirely immersed in the rinse liquid collecting in the tank 25. The coils 31 and 32 are approximately. below the cans while the cans are supported in the next sue-- ceaive position after treatment from the rinsing jet device 29, as will be observed from Fig. 3. One end of the outer coil 31 is connected to a water supply pipe 33 leading to a valve 34. One end of the inner coil 32 is connected by a pipe. 35 to another .centrally of the upper end of the nozzle device. v .The pasage 42 is preferably smaller than the pasage 41, so as to cause the water or -liquidrleaving the device to have considerable velocity. Another passage 43 is provided in thenozzle device 40, surrounding but separatevfrom the passage 41, and this passage 43 also opens upwardly through the upper end of the nozzle device through a circular or frusto-conical passage 44 which is preferably concentric with the passage 42.'

To rovide thispassage 44, the discharge end 0 the casing of the device 40 may be provided with a sleeve 40a which is threaded over'an open end of'the body of the device. This sleevev 40a at its projecting end has a frusto-conical inner periphery which fits over a similarly frusto-conical end of a tubular stem 40b extending from the interior of the casing of thedevice40 through the open end thereof into the sleeve 46a. By threading the sleeve 40ato variable extents upon the casing of the device 40, the clearance between the tapered end of the stem 40? and the inner periphery of the sleeve, which constitutes the passage 44 may be adjust-ably varied so as to vary the amount of steam which will be discharged. The free end of the sleeve 40a may be exteriorly threaded for connection thereto of a-pipe extension when desired. Thus any fluid passing through the passage 43 will leave the nozzle device passing through the circular frustoconical passage 44 which converges towards the discharge end of the. nozzle device in such a manner that the fluid leaving it will have the form of a cone-like shell converging into the fluid jet leaving thepassage 42. A steam supply pipe 45 is connected to the passage 43 of the nozzle device for supplying steam thereto. -The pipe 45 is in turn connected to a valve 46, and the valve in turn is connected to a main steam supply pipe 47, Fig. 2.

The upper end of the other coil 32 is connected to a nozzle device 48 similar to the nozzle device 40, the coil 32 being connected to the longitudinal central passage thereof corresponding to the passage 41 of Fig. 4.

A steam supply pipe 49 is connected to the nozzle device 48 through the outer passage thereof corresponding tothe passage 45 of Fig. 4. The pipe'49 is connected to a valve 50 which is also connected to the main steam supply pipe 47, Fig. 2.

A union member 48a is connected to' the nozzle device 48 by being threaded u on the discharge end of the sleeve thereo corresponding to the sleeve 40a and member 48a is connected to a pipe 51 which extends through the casing to the exterior thereof, then along the casing to a point at which it may terminate in a nozzle device 52, Figs. 2 and 3, disposed to spray through an aperture in the casing, either. or both fluids against the inside faces of the covers, as will be observed from Fig. 3. For this purpose, the covers will be disposed with their under or inner faces facing outwardly, that is, directed towards the lateral wall of the casing 1.

The nozzle device 40 is so disposed and ositioned that it directs the discharged finds upwardly into the inverted cans disposed above it and any drainage from the cans, as well as the drainage from the covers subjected to the spray from the nozzles 52, will drain into the tank and form thereby a 25 continuous replenishing supply of rinse water therefor.

The steam supply pipe 49 communicates with a nozzle device 53 opening downwardly through the top of the casing for blowing steam directly upon the bottoms of the inverted cans, which because of their inverted positions, will be uppermost. This jet of steam blows 011' any collection of moisture thereon.

At another point along the lateral wall of the casing 1, the steam pipe 49 has communication with another blow oif nozzle 54 which opens through the lateral wall of casing 1 in a position to blowa jet of steam against the covers to blow off excessive moisture therefrom.

The steam supply pipe may also have a branch 55 extending beneath the revolving frame or base 8 and terminating in an upwardly directed nozzle device 56 for directing upwardly into the inverted cans a jet of steam for sterilizing purposes while the cans are in a position occupied subsequently to the positions over the coils where they were subjected to the sterile rinse.

In the last position of the cans before they again reach the unloading opening 2, they will be disposed above an upwardly opening pipe 57 directing a current or blast of drying air upwardly into the cans to dry the same before they are removed.

The valves 34, 36, 46 and 50 are preferably arranged side by side in a row and are operated separately by cams 58, 59, 60 and 61 respectively. Th e cams are mounted on a common control s aft 62 which is rotatably supported in suitable bearings on the top of the casing, and this shaft carries a mitre gear 636 which meshes with and is driven from 65 another mitre gear 64 connected to and rotating with the Geneva transfer member 18. The cams 58 to 61 inclusive will thus be operated in synchronized relation to the movements of the inverted cans in the casing 1, and the valves 34, 36, 46 and 50 will thus be operated in definitely synchronized relation to the rotation of the cans, to control the passage of steam and water to the cans in the desired treatments of the cans while within the casing 1.

In the operation of the device, an attendant inserts the cans and covers in the radial chambers formed by the walls or vanes 7 through openings 2. The pulley 13 is operated from any suitable motive power, and the Geneva transfer mechanism 18 will at intervals unlock the gear 6 and move it through an increment of angular movement of such an extent that the radial chamber carrying the can and cover will move through one increment of movement within the casing 1 and over the preliminary rinse jet 26, Fig. 3.

During continued rotation of the Geneva element 18, it will, after lapse of a suitable interval, again release the wheel 6 and move it through another increment of angular movement, which causes a further movement of the can and cover support 4 to carry the can above the cleansing solution tank 24 with the can immediately above the jet 27.

Between these two movement s, however, the attendant has inserted another can and cover into the next radial chamber and this during the second movement has moved over to a position over the preliminary rinse jet 26.

It will be understood of course that the cans and covers are inserted in proper positions on the support 4 in succession as the radial chambers come opposite the loading and unloading opening 2, any washed cans and covers being removed before the cans to be washed are loaded into any compartment. During the continued intermittent movement of each can with the support 4, it will be subjected to jets of suitable cleansing solutions from the jet devices .27 and 28, and then subjected to rinsing jets from the device 29.

During rotation of the Geneva element 18, the shaft 62 will be correspondingly rotated and thereby the valves 58 to 61 will be operated in a desired sequence in synchronized relation to the movements of the cans through the casing. When the water valves 34 and 36 are closed, the coils 31 and 32 will always be filled and will be in heat interchanging relation with the hot rinsing liquid or water in the tank 25. Thus there will always be within the coils 31 and 32 charges of water which have been heated by the hot water or 1i uid in the tank 25.

pon the opening of the valves 34 and 36, the entrance of further water into the coils will force out this previously heated water through the nozzle devices and 48 and against the articles to be washed, such as the cans and their covers. At or about the same time, however, the steam valves 46 and 50 will also be opened to admit steam to the nozzle devices, and this steam will mix with and further heat the discharged hot water to a temperature sufiiciently hlgh enough to sterilize, by rinsing action, the cans and their covers.

The steam valves are preferably held open shortly after the water valves are closed, so that the cans and covers will be subjected to a short interval of steaming after the cessation of the sterile rinse of hot water, to further insure complete sterilization of the cans and covers.

When the cans and covers move into the next position, they will be subjected to the blow off jets of steam from nozzles or blowoff devices 53 and 54, by which collected moisture thereon is blown oil, and at the same time the insides of the cans will also be subjected to a sterile jet of steam from the device 56. The cans next move above the hot air supply device 57 at which time they are dried before they reach the unloading openin" 2.

l3y reason of the constant addition of a sterile rinse water to the tank 25, there will be an accumulation, which overflows to a greater or lesser extent as may be desired, into the cleansing solution tank 24 to replenish the same. The rinsing liquid in the tank 24 has considerable heat which would be lost to some extent were it not utilized to heat preliminarily the water in the coils 31 and 32, which heated water is in turn utilized to provide the sterile rinse for the articles.

By using the coils 31 and 32 in this manner, the device is made compact, the use of additional heaters is avoided, and since the heating of the water for the sterile rinse requires time, this heating is partially taking place continually and in advance of the need. Vhile the temperature of the Water in the coils 31 and 32 this obtained would not usually be sufiicient to insure the desired temperature for the sterilizing rinse liquid, this deficiency is made up by the admission of steam to the discharged water at the timeof discharge, in an exceptionally simple manner.

It will also be noted in Fig. 4 that the steam passages 43 and 44 surround the passages 41 and 42 and therefore have a heat interchange relation therewith, so that there will be some heatingof the liquid in the passages 41 and 42 before or while the liquid is disis obtained, and the mixture striking the arwearers ticles may be given a uniformly high but selective variable temperature.

It will be obvious that various changes in the details which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

It will also be observed that various features of the invention herein set forth, are

equally applicable to washers in which the articles are moved in paths which are not necessarily circular or closed.

We claim:

1. In an article washing machine, means for supporting the articles to be washed and moving them progressively in a prescribed pat-l1, means for subjecting the articles dur ing their progress to the action of a washing liquid and then a hot water rinse while in successive positions, a coil immersed in the hot water used for the hot water rinse, means connected to one end of the coil enabling connection of that end of the coil to a supply of clean water, a steam supply pipe, and means connected to the other end of the coil and to said supply pipe for directing steam and water separately or together against the articles being washed subsequently to said hot water rinse whereby said article may be given a hot sterile rinse; and means forcontrolling selectively the passage of water and steam through said directing means.

2. In an article washing machine, means for supporting the articles to be washed and moving them through a prescribed path, means for subjecting the articles to the action of a hot liquid while in said path, a coil immersed in a part of said hot liquid for heat interchange therewith, a continuous pressure, clean water supply connection to one end of said coil, means connected to the other end of said coil for directing water there from against the articles in said path, means v for mixing steam with the water leaving said coil to further heat it, and means for controlling selectively the flow of water through said coil and the addition of steam to the water leaving the coil, whereby the temperature of the water may be raised to the desired extent and the steam continued after the water flow is discontinued.

3. In an article washing machine, means for supporting the articles to be washed and moving them through a prescribed path, means for subjecting the articles to the action-of a hot liquid while in said path, a coil immersed ina part of said hot liquid for heat interchange therewith, a clean water supply connection to one end of said coil, a discharge device connected to the other end of'the coil for discharging water from said coil against the articles while in said path, means for discharging steam against said ar- Sill llllll ticles in a manner to cause its mixture with the water leaving said coil and before it strikes said articles whenever water is flowing in said coil at the same time, and means for controlling separately the flow of water through said coil and the discharge of said steam, whereby the temperature of the water may be raised to the desired extent and the steam continued after the water flow is discontinued. I l

4. In an article washing machine, means for supporting the articles to be washed and moving them through a prescribed path, means for subjecting the articles to the action of a hot liquid while in said path, a coil immersed in a part of said hot liquid for heat interchange therewith, a continuous pressure water supply connection to one end of said coil, a nozzle device connected to the other end of the coil for discharging water'from said coil as a jet against the articles while in said path, a steam connection to said nozzle device, said nozzle device discharging said steam approximately concentrically with the water jet and separately from the jet as it leaves the device but in a manner to cause a thorough mixture of the steam and water immediately after the steam and water leave said device, and means for controlling separately the flow of water through-said coil and the flow of steam through said device, whereby the temperature of the water may be raised to the desired extent and the steam continued after the water flow is discontinued.

5. In an article washing machine, means for supporting the articles to bewashed and moving them through a prescribed path, means for subjecting the articles to the action of a hot liquid while in said path, a coil immersed in a part of said hot liquid for 7 heat interchange therewith, a water supply connection to one end of said coil, a discharge device connected to the other end of the coil for discharging pressure water from said coil against the articles while in said path,

means for discharging steam against said articles in a manner to cause its mixture with the water leaving said coil and before it strikes said articles whenever water is flowing in said coil at the same time, and means for selectively controlling the flow of water through said coil and-the discharge of said steam independently of one another, whereby the articles may be subjected to a discharge of water, or steam, or a mixture of both, or a succession of any thereof.

6. In an article washing machine, an article support, a nozzle device having a passage for discharging a liquid jet therethrough against said articles, means for supplying hot liquid to said passage, said device also having a passage for discharging a jet of steam against said article and in a direction such that the two jets will meet and mix after steam also towards said articles and in a man ner to engage and mix with the discharged liquid before steam and liquid can reach said articles, said device also having steam and liquid supply connections to said circular passage and said first passage respectively.

8. In an article washing machine, means for supporting the articles to be washed, a nozzle device having a passage for directing a fluid jet towards said articles and also having a frusto-conical passage converging towards the outer, end of said first passage but spaced somewhat therefrom to discharge a separate jet, whereby fluids ejected from said passages will meet and mix after discharge and before striking said articles, means for supplying separate fluids to said passa es, and means for controlling the fluid ow through said passages.

9. In an article washing machine, a casing, means within said casing for conducting the articles to be washed therethrough in a prescribed path and spaced above the bottom thereof, means for washing said articles at one point in their travel, means for subjecting said articles to a hot liquid rinse at another and subsequently occupied point in said path, a reservoir into which said hot rinse liquid is collected after use, a coil immersed in the rinse liquid in said reservoir for heat interchange therewith, a clean water supply connection to one end of said coil, and means connected to the other end of said coil for directing the hot water therefrom against the articles while in a still further subsequently occupied position in said path.

10. In an article washing machine, a casing, means within said casing for conducting the articles to be washed therethrough in a prescribed path and spaced above the bottom thereof, means for washing said articles at one point in their travel, means for subjecting said articles to a hot liquid rinse at another and subsequently occupied point in said path, a reservoir into which said hot rinse liquid is collected after use, a coil immersed in the rinse liquid in said-reservoir for heat interchange therewith, a continuous pressure source of clean water connected to one end of said coil, means connected to the other end of said coil for directing a jet of liquid from said coil against the articles to be washed, and means for mixing with said 4 liquid from said coil before it reaches said article a quantity of steam to further heat the liquid from said coil and provide a sterile rinse for said articles.

11. In an article washing machine, a cas-.

one end of said coil, means connected to the other end of said coil for directing a jet of liquid from said coil against the articles to be washed and means for mixing with said liquid from said coil before it reaches said article a quantity of steam to further heat the liquid from said coil and provide a sterile rinse for said articles, said casing having means to collect the sterile rinse liquid from said articles and return it to said reservoir to provide a continually renewing hot rinse liquid.

12. In an article washing machine, a casing, means within said casing for supporting the articles to be washed and conveying them in a prescribed path through said casing and in a position to drain, means "within said casing for subjecting said articles first to a cleansing solution andthen at a subsequently reachedpoint to a hot liquid rinse, said casing having a tank portion beneath said articles into which said cleansing solution and hot rinse drain separately, a coil immersed in the hot rinse tank, a water connection for continuous clean water attached to one end of said coil, a nozzle connected to the other end of said coil and discharging water from said coil in a direction to strike said articles after the latter have travelled further in the said path, and a steam supply connection associated with said nozzle for adding steam to the liquid leaving said nozzle to further heat the same.

13. In an article washing machine, a casing, means within said casing for supporting the articles to be washed and conveying them in a prescribed path through said casing and in a position to drain, means within said casing for subjecting said articles-first to a cleansing solution and then at a subsequently reached point to a hot liquid rinse, said casing having a tank portion beneath said articles into which said cleansing solution and hot rinse drain separately, a coil immersed in the hot rinse tank, a clean water connection toone end of said coil, a nozzle connected to the other end of said coil and discharging water from said coil in a direct 1,7ee,eie

with controlling the flow of water through j,

said coil and the addition of steam to the water so discharged whereby said articles may be subjected first to a hot sterile rinse of water and steam and then to a subs uent bath of steam only to complete the sterilization.

14. Iuan articlewashing machine, a casing, means for supporting artlcles to be washed in said casing and moving them in a prescribed path therethrough, a source of power at the top of said casing, an intettent drive connection between the upper end of said article moving means and said source of power, whereby said articles will be given increments of movement in said path with intervals of rest between such movements, means for subjectin the articles while in successive position in said path to successive treatments with cleansing and rinsing liquids, means for subjecting said articles while in further successive positions in their travel to a sterile rinse, and means including valves at the tops of said casing and controlled by said source of power in synchronism with said article moving means for controlling the operation of a sterile rinse subjecting means in any desired sequence.

15. In an article washing machine, a casing, means for supporting articles to be washed in said casin and moving them in a prescribed path therethrough,

a source of power at the top of said casing, an intermittent drive connection between the upper end of said article moving means and said source of power, whereby said articles will be given increments of movement in said path with. intervals of rest between such movements, means for subjecting the articles while in successive positions in said path to successive treatments with cleansing and rinsing liquids, means for directing towards said articles while at a further successive position along said path, a jet of hot rinse liquid, means for adding steam to the discharged rinse liquid, and valve means for said steam and rinse liquid at the top of said casing and operated in synchronism with the intermittent movement of said articles by said source of power for first directing a mixture of steam and rinse liquid towards said articles and then prolonging the steam discharged against said articles for an interval after the cessation of flow of rinse liquid. a

16. In an article washing machine, a casing, means within the casing for supporting mounting s chronized relation to said intermittent rive for subjecting said articles to treat ments of water and steam and then steam at one point in the travel of the articles.

. 17. In an article washing machine, a casing, means within said casing for-supporting and moving therethrough articles to be washed, a source of power including a continuously rotating shaft extending across the 'top of said casing, a Geneva transfer and locking connection between said shaft and said means, whereby said means will be given intermittent increments of movement with intervening intervals of rest, and said means will be locked against movement while in said intervals of rest, and means including valves and controlling cams therefor operated by said shaft in synchronized 13818171011150 said Geneva transfer-mechanism for determining successive treatments to which said articles may be subjected while moving through said casing.

18. In an article washing machine of the rotary conveyor type, a casing, a vertical shaft in said casing, means mounted on said shaft and supporting the articles to be washed and conveymg them in an arcuate ath through the casing during rotation of the shaft, a Geneva gear connected to one end of said vertical shaft for drivin means operated by said power shaft and operating said Geneva gear step by step to cause ste by step travel of said articles, means in sai casing for subjecting the articles while in different positions of rest in said travel to the action of jets of water and steam, valves controlling said water and steam separately, and'means operated by said power shaft for in turn operating said valves in a desired sequence to direct a mixture of steam and water against said articles and then to ctiirntinue the steam after the water is shut o 19. In an article washing machine of the rotary type, a casing, a vertical shaft in said casing, a support carried by said shaft and the articles to be washed and conveying t em in an arcuate path throu b said casing, a Geneva ear mounted on sai shaft, a power shaft at t e end of the shaft ad'acent said gear, gearing between said sha and Geneva gear for operating the latter in a step b; step manner during continued rotation 0 said power shaft, ap urality of valves,

the same, a power shaft at the same end of t e machine,

means operated by said power shaft for operating said valves in a prescribed sequence and for prescribed durations, and means controlled by said valves for subjecting the articles to the action of fluid jets in desired sequence while being carried through said cas- 'n 1 JOHN P. MoKINLEY.

CARL F. ULRICH. 

